


8 Words

by Nareliel



Series: No Remedy [2]
Category: Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-26
Updated: 2020-01-26
Packaged: 2021-02-27 07:54:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,574
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22413547
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nareliel/pseuds/Nareliel
Summary: Neeyutnee suddenly felt as if she were intruding upon something sacred.
Relationships: Obi-Wan Kenobi/Satine Kryze, Padmé Amidala/Anakin Skywalker
Series: No Remedy [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1613035
Comments: 2
Kudos: 85





	8 Words

**Author's Note:**

> **8 Words Challenge:** flute, assist, queen, large, broad, planet, lead, prosecute  
>  **Author's Note:** Senator Caso Ouldin is a character of my own creation, as is the planet Sobith. Neither exists in the Clone Wars canon.

The musical notes of the flute danced across the room filled with representatives of various systems. The Queen of Naboo was holding a dinner in hopes of opening communication between the leaders of several Neutralist planets and those loyal to the Republic. Given the senator's knowledge of her fellow politicians, Queen Neeyutnee had requested that Padmé Amidala assist her in preparations for the visiting dignitaries. The planet had been abuzz since the announcement of this ambitious undertaking and the excitement had only escalated as one large cruiser after another arrived to enter orbit around Naboo. Neeyutnee was not a fan of the war and sought to at least open the dialogue between the more peaceful members of the Republic, such as Alderaan and Chandrila, with the Neutralists. Perhaps, in meeting with leaders of planets who resided outside of the war, they could come to understand one another a bit better. Some of the Neutralists had friends amongst the Separatist - senators of the Separatist Congress - who found the fighting just as distasteful as their Republican counterparts. None of these representatives from the Confederacy of Independent Systems could be invited to attend, of course, given that Naboo was aligned with the Republican Senate and therefore located behind enemy lines. However, it was Neeyutnee's hope that by meeting in a relaxed atmosphere of dining and dancing the defenses of both the moderates and pacifists would be lowered and, if not friendships, then at least favorable acquaintances could be made.

Queen Neeyutnee stood on one of the raised balconies that overlooked the grand hall's floor. Presently, everything seemed to be proceeding smoothly. She could see the leader of the Toydarians in deep conversation with Bail Organa, Kin Robb of Taris spoke with the Jedi Padawan Ahsoka, and Representative Binks was entertaining Mon Mothma with an animated tale that had the usually well-collected senator covering her mouth to conceal her laughter. Neeyutnee's gaze swept the assembly in search of Naboo's esteemed senator and found Padmé being swept across the dancefloor by General Skywalker. Her small hands rested against the Jedi's broad shoulders as they swayed to the music, and Neeyutnee found herself thankful that Padmé had taken a moment to enjoy the party she had worked so hard to put together. With a final sweep of the festivities below, she reluctantly decided that it was time she return to her own guests. Neeyutnee made her way into the hallway that connected the balconies that surrounded the massive ballroom and moved toward the stairs. She was just passing one of the other alcoves when she heard the raised voice of Caso Ouldin of Sobith.

"You would deny men the ability to sustain themselves in battle!" The edge of Senator Ouldin's tone drew Queen Neeyutnee to a halt, and she found herself drawn toward the discussion.

"You misunderstand my meaning, Senator," the Duchess of Mandalore replied. "I am only stating that the Neutralist Systems that you so flagrantly dismiss are important members of this galaxy as well. We provide trading opportunities that you cannot ignore. To do so would pose a serious threat to the Republic's ability to prosecute the war."

"So you will not condone this war, but you will charge us for the supplies we need to sustain our soldiers."

"Come now, Caso, it is the way of commerce, is it not?" Neeyutnee peeked around the curtain that half covered the opening and saw that Caso Ouldin did not take kindly to Satine Kryze's calm response. "Do you honestly expect me to believe that Sobith requires no compensation for the goods that leave its ports?"

"Humanitarian aid should never be viewed as a commodity," the Senator argued.

"Indeed," the Duchess acknowledged. "However, supplying the war-effort does not simply fall under the banner of humanitarian aid. I lead several systems that want no part of this war and, therefore, should not be asked to give freely to its continuance. Expecting compensation for trade is the only way to ensure our neutrality." The Sobithian's gaze grew dark.

"You are a cold woman, Duchess," Ouldin hissed. "One would hope you manage to thaw before you are shattered."

"Of course," Satine scoffed, "the mantra of every warmonger, 'bend or be broken'." Her tone only managed to anger the Senator further, and Neeyutnee thought it best to intercede before the situation deteriorated even further. Already, Caso Ouldin was muttering curses in his native tongue. Before she could step forward, however, General Kenobi appeared from the shadows of the opening at the opposite end of the balcony.

"Senator Ouldin," he greeted the man as he moved to place himself between the Mandalorian Duchess and her Sobithian opposition. "I fear you will find Duchess Kryze quite unyielding in her pacifist convictions. Perhaps you should agree to disagree upon the subject." There was a disarming warmth to Kenobi's tone that suggested his advice was laced with wisdom, and Neeyutnee suddenly understood why the man had earned the nickname _The Negotiator_.

"To be such a pacifist she is rather abrasive, General," Ouldin muttered, his reptilian gaze squinting beyond Kenobi's shoulder to eye the Duchess with a look that in another species might have seemed merely peeked but seemed outright menacing on the Sobithian. "I would say her political views were made moot by her aggressive demeanor did we not all know her government's inability to attack head-on in moments of crisis."

Satine's eyes burned with blue fire as she took a step forward, but General Kenobi put out an arm to stop her progress and met the Senator with a cool look of his own. "Have a care Senator. For though the Duchess does not wish to plunge her planet into war, she is a Mandalorian by blood and battle is not relegated to the war-front alone."

"Of course, as a Jedi, you must defend the weak," the Senator of Sobith had the audacity to say. Neeyutnee could see the Duchess bristle even from her hidden vantage point. Yet, still, Kenobi remained the calm in the storm.

"It would appear, oh mighty Caso Ouldin" - The words were laced with just the right amount of sarcasm as to leave the Sobithian uncertain if the Jedi intended offense. - "that at the moment, I am defending you. When confronting the Duchess, I assure you that few leave the arena of debate unscathed. Upon that battlefield, she is every bit the Mandalorian warrior and quite deadly in a verbal assault. I fear unleashing her upon you would be an affront to the principles of my order." It was a slap to the senator's ego and, quite frankly, the most insulting remark Neeyutnee had ever heard the general make. Not that she had much cause to be in the Jedi Knight's company, but he was usually much more tolerant of hotheaded politicians. A tense silence fell over the balcony as though the air itself waited to see if one of the three would stoke the embers into a fire. Then, suddenly, Kenobi was favoring Ouldin with a smile that seemed strangely kind given his previous words. It was accompanied by a warmer tone as he said, "But, none of us have come here to fight. This is a party, after all, a short respite from the war. You should eat, Senator, drink and enjoy yourself. There are so few days when any of us can."

The Sobithian blinked as though some of his ire had suddenly been washed away. If Neeyutnee were being honest, even she felt a bit calmer and one look at Satine proved the Duchess of Mandalore had lost some of her tension as well. The Queen of Naboo turned her searching gaze on Kenobi. Had the Jedi done something? Somehow sent out a soothing wave in the Force? Was that even possible? She really knew very little about the enigma that was the Jedi Order or their capabilities, but in that moment she knew that something in the air had changed.

"Yes, of course," Ouldin was saying as he gazed down upon the festivities. "I bid you good evening Master Jedi." He bowed his head to Kenobi and then Kryze. "Duchess." And then he was sweeping off the balcony through the same opening in which the general had arrived. Neeyutnee considered stepping forward to congratulate General Kenobi on diffusing the situation but was brought up short by the way Satine extended a hand to brush the man's bearded chin.

"Forever coming to my rescue," she spoke softly. "You are quite the knight, Obi."

"It is my duty, Duchess," Kenobi murmured as he caught her hand and brought her fingers to his lips for a gentle kiss that was far more intimate than the courtly display implied. "And my pleasure." Neeyutnee suddenly felt as if she were intruding upon something sacred - much like the time she had accidentally stumbled upon General Skywalker holding Senator Amidala in the palace gardens - and she quickly slipped away. As she made her way to the stairs, the Queen of Naboo thought over what she had witnessed. It was assumed the Jedi were not allowed to love, and Neeyutnee had always found that particular sacrifice to be the saddest. Yet, it appeared that at least two of the Republic's most heroic knights, General Kenobi and General Skywalker, had found love despite it being forbidden. Somehow, that thought warmed her heart, and with a gentle smile gracing her lips, Queen Neeyutnee descended to the party below.

**Author's Note:**

> For those who wonder where my prompts are coming from, I have found them on a website called Writing Exercises and Prompts.


End file.
